Rugby League News | Raidercast

Wed, 27th May, 2026, 23:38 AEST
How Nathan Cleary's 10 minutes of magic saved NSW in Origin classic
Nathan Cleary led NSW to an unexpected win in Origin after a slow start, igniting the game's dramatic turnaround.
The Australian
For 70 minutes, he was largely anonymous. Then Nathan Cleary exploded. Grabbed State of Origin by the scruff of the neck and led NSW to a win that no-one had seen coming.
Few players have come into the Origin arena under as much pressure as the NSW No. 7 and for the vast majority of the game at Accor Stadium, he was nowhere to be seen, outside of putting through the deft kick to set up the Blues' first try for Hudson Young.
He wasn't alone. The Blues' first half was an abomination. They were pathetic. They had been dominated by Queensland and looked set to be headed to Melbourne for game two on the cusp of another defeat.
Then Queensland fullback Kalyn Ponga was sent off and the opening game of the Origin series took a dramatic and unexpected turn.
A turn that gave Cleary the chance to rewrite history and potentially save Laurie Daley's coaching job. Cleary put on a show and the undermanned Maroons - as courageous as they were - couldn't go with him.
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Wed, 27th May, 2026, 23:18 AEST
Strange stars as NSW edge Queensland in Origin opener
NSW's Ethan Strange led a remarkable comeback, winning 22-20 against Queensland in Game 1 after Kalyn Ponga's red card. James Tedesco scored the decisive try.
The Canberra Times
NSW debutant Ethan Strange has inspired the biggest comeback in State of Origin history, giving the Blues a 22-20 win after Queensland fullback Kalyn Ponga was sent off in the series opener.
Maroons star Ponga was given his marching orders by referee Ashley Klein for a 58th-minute shoulder charge on Blues winger Tolu Koula.
Ponga's moment of madness handed NSW an avenue back into Wednesday's game at Accor Stadium in Sydney where the Maroons led 20-6 and looked to be cruising towards victory.
But a 78th-minute try to James Tedesco handed the Blues a 1-0 lead in the series after NSW fought back with Strange and halves partner - man-of-the-match Nathan Cleary - punishing an exhausted 12-man Maroons side.
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Wed, 27th May, 2026, 15:18 AEST
Ethan Strange's star NRLW sibling lifts lid on "spin out" last-minute call-up
Ethan Strange's sister described the chaotic lead-up to his State of Origin debut after Mitchell Moses' injury.
Zero Tackle
The sister of NSW Blues five-eighth Ethan Strange has revealed the chaotic 24-hours leading up to his State of Origin debut.
Strange was parachuted into the starting five-eighth jersey following an injury to Mitchell Moses yesterday. His sister Jasmin, who is a star in the NRLW, admitted the last few days have been a "spin out" for the family.
She appeared on NOVA'S Star 104.5's Gina & Matty, saying her little brother will do whatever the team needs him to, and it will be a full-circle moment when he runs out on Accor Stadium.
"Yeah...it's just absolutely wild. It's going to be really weird," Strange said on her brother's late call-up.
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Wed, 27th May, 2026, 8:08 AEST
Inside rise of Ethan Strange: The moment that won over Ricky... and how Raiders rolled out red carpet
Joel Carbone showcased young talent Ethan Strange, impressively reminding the author of Don Duffy, during recruitment discussions.
Fox League
Every now and again a kid comes along, and you just know. I remember Joel Carbone, the Raiders recruitment boss back then, coming into the office and asking the coaching staff to have a quick look at some clips on a young kid from The Entrance.
My ears pricked up straight away because the Central Coast is my home. It was a common thing for Joel to do, not that he needs anyone's guidance on the quality of young footballers, but I guess it is part of his process. I am not sure it was the first single-play clip, but by the second, everyone was nodding their heads. This kid was a beauty. Ethan Strange.
It is funny, with young players, almost always they remind you of someone. Strange reminded me of Don Duffy who I played with at Woy Woy and later played in the Grand Final for Parramatta. Positionally different, but the way they run, how he held himself-sort of a presence-all I could think of was Duff. I remember saying that at the time, but as I was the oldest bloke in the office, no one knew who I was talking about.
I remember going to lunch with Ethan, his mum Adele, and the coaching staff to show exactly what the club thought about the kid and how much we wanted him at the club. When you think about the NRL coaching staff taking a kid to lunch, it kind of shows what we thought of the clips. It is not something you do for every young bloke who rolls through the system, but we knew we had to roll out the red carpet to get this deal across the line.
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Wed, 27th May, 2026, 4:04 AEST
'Kidding ourselves': Daley won't cop Cleary Origin talk
Laurie Daley defends Nathan Cleary, asserting NSW's success relies on the entire team's performance, not just the halfback's individual achievements.
The Canberra Times
Laurie Daley believes Nathan Cleary is unfairly judged for his State of Origin record, claiming NSW's fortunes don't rest solely on the halfback's fortunes.
Cleary will play his 18th Origin game on Wednesday night at Sydney Accor Stadium, with the pressure turning up on the halfback on Tuesday after halves partner Mitchell Moses was ruled out with a hamstring injury.
The 29-year-old will be expected to do the majority of the Blues' kicking alongside rookie Origin five-eighth Ethan Strange, who is not known for having a boom boot, giving Queensland an easy focal point to defend.
Cleary, the Blues most-capped No.7 of all time, has been peerless at NRL level in crunch games over the last six years of Penrith's dominance.
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